Septic System FAQs

Septic System FAQs

Got septic tank questions? We have answers! From preventing backups to increasing longevity we have answers to your most frequently asked septic tank questions. Just click the + sign in the orange square for the full answer and details.

Have your installer make a drawing (to scale) that shows the location of your tank and drainfield in relation to your home. This will help guide your service provider should any repairs be necessary. You’ll also need a diagram of your septic system when you are considering any home renovations, landscaping projects, or new parking places and driveways.

NO! Though septic systems are safe for your family, opening the septic tank without professional training can expose you to dangerous gases and bacteria. Call a certified and trained septic professional if you detect any problems in your system.

Experts disagree. A properly maintained septic system discharges treated effluent directly into the ground, where its close contact with soil results in additional purification. A central sewerage system discharges very large volumes of treated effluent into a body of water at one location.

In other situations where ground permiability is not suitable an ET system may be required. In such a system, all the effluent is contained to a small area and it either evaporates into the air or is used by plants and transpires out through their leaves.